The Australian Devil
by SecretFruits
Summary: A young James, Lily, Al, Rose, and Hugo accompany their parents to Tasmania, Australia on a political trip turned camping trip. But what happens when the adults and children get separated? Features fluff, the natural beauty of Tasmania, and all the angst of childhood.


For Tiggs

* * *

For The Golden Snitch Worldwide Club - write a story set in a different country.

For Hogwarts Challenges and Assignments - Gryffindor, Care of Magical Creatures, Task 3: Write About Something Rare

For The Houses Competition - Gryffindor, Year 1, Short, Prompts (speech: "I think you meant to say: hey, I know how I want to get us all killed today?" and speech: "Sometimes my greatest accomplishment is keeping my mouth shut.")

Word Count: 1623

* * *

"I wish," Lily panted for about the tenth time that morning, "that Teddy was with us."

James sighed, but his annoyance softened as he looked at his baby sister. Her flaming hair was matted with sweat from the climb, and wet beads were forming on her cheeks. "You know Teddy's at school, Lils."

They walked in silence after that, all five children exhausted, the magical forest around them surreal and overstimulating. They had gone camping before, but not someplace where wattlebirds spat tiny bluebell flames overhead, screams from magical Tasmanian devils echoed in the distance, and trees would sometimes wave or move their roots to trip passersby.

' _This, James, is Tasmania_ ', his father had told him earlier that morning. ' _The heart of Wizarding Australia.'_ The heart of Wizarding London was Diagon Alley, with its bustling shops and busy people. It was every child's dream outing and every adult's secret pleasure. But this — this was something else entirely. This was wild magic, and it was all around them.

It was beautiful, with the hugest trees James had ever seen, covered in grasses and mosses in a hundred shades of green. It was otherworldly – late at night James and his siblings would whisper about the distant lands they would explore and secret fortresses they would conjure, and Tasmania had seemed as mystical as Jupiter. It was a pleasure - Lily had tried to pack her suitcase every single day for the past six months and covered her walls with drawings of Tasmanian birds. And it was a privilege – _'I'm soooo jealous,_ ' Cousin Louis had said, ' _how many kids get to go to Australia?'_

( _'All the Australian kids,'_ Albus had responded. And then James had needed to prevent yet-another-cousin-squabble and when he'd snapped at Al later it was _him_ who his mum had yelled at).

But hiking the hills of Tasmania in the January heat was sweaty and dirty and _hard._ And excitement had turned into exhaustion.

"I'm _tired,"_ Lily moaned.

James sighed internally. He was tired too — but he wanted this trip to be perfect for his Aunt Hermione. "Just a little more, Lily. Maybe we'll see the magical devil!"

' _If you're lucky,'_ Aunt Luna had told the children before they left, ' _you might even see the magical devil.'_ She'd seen it on her travels, once—one of maybe a dozen of living witches and wizards to have done so.

But they walked more and more slowly, feet dragging and water bottles dripping from their packs.

Rose shot Lily an impatient look. "Hurry _up_ ," she declared. "Or Lady Westmann will think that Mum and Uncle Harry's children are slow, and she won't want her school to be filled with _slow_ British children."

She indicated the three adults, about a hundred meters ahead along the path. Aurora Academy, the Australian magical school, was nestled in the hills.

"We," Rose continued, "have to set an _example."_

They were there because Hermione wanted to setup exchange programs across the various magical schools, 'to promote cross-cultural friendship and exchange of ideas', and she'd asked Harry to help. Australian Headmistress Allira Palawa — Lady Westmann — had extended an invitation, 'to get to know you and your families…'

Unfortunately, Rose was right. They _were_ here to set an example.

But at this pronouncement, Lily looked about ready to cry. Frustrated, James shot Rose a glare. "Let's sit for a minute, huh, Lils?" He gave her a hug as he lowered himself onto a fallen log.

"Sorry," Rose murmured, catching the glint in his eyes.

His anger faded. Rose probably wanted everything to be perfect even more than he did — Hermione was James's beloved Godmother, but she was also Rose's Mum.

"James, let's call Dad." Al sounded worried. "Dad'll wait up. We shouldn't fall too far back."

Hugo kicked the ground impatiently. "I don't _want_ to wait."

"Well, you have to." Rose glared at her younger brother. "Lily needs to _rest._ "

At this, Lily looked mortified. "NO! I'm _fierce._ Daddy's daughter is _fierce!"_ She snapped a twig off a nearby branch and waved it, nearly taking Rose's eye out. "WINGARDIUM LEVIOOSSAAAA!"

Rose's own red hair was still braided perfectly, and the small blue handkerchief in her hand had kept her face free from sweat. But the rest of them looked worse for the wear — Hugo's hair was so dusty it barely looked red and his pack was open, and Albus, despite anxiously trying to slow his breathing, was clearly gasping.

"I think we should sit, you lot, James finally admitted.

Rose cast him an apologetic glance. "Sometimes my greatest accomplishment is keeping my mouth shut. Sorry."

But it was too late. As Albus sat down beside James, just as their sister burst forward into a determined sprint. "NO!"

Hugo tore eagerly after her, followed by a furious looking Rose. And then there was a crunch, and a bang and a shriek — then Lily was sobbing, sprawled in the moss beside Hugo and clutching her arm.

And then Hugo took one look at Lily and started weeping too.

Panic flooded James, and then horror for his sister. Rose was fidgeting wildly, picking at leaves and brambles and repeating, "I'm going to make a cast!" And Albus just stood there, taking in the scene.

James was crying now; he couldn't help it. He had messed up, and his poor sister was hurt, and maybe her arm would need to be amputated, and Dad would be so disappointed, and Lady Westmann would throw them out of Australia, and it was all _his fault._

"James." His little brother was tugging on his sleeve. "James, we need Dad."

"No." James wiped his eyes, ignoring the sting of dirt in them. "No, Al. Look — Rose is making a cast, and I saw Mum do a spell once..."

Al raised his eyebrows, further pushing James's temper. "I think you meant to say: hey, I know how I want to get us all killed today?"

"I can _do_ this, Al."

"James. We need to call Dad."

" _No,_ Al." Walking towards his crying sister, James added, "We can't mess this up."

Lily wailed, "I WANT TEDDY!" And James wanted him too — Teddy, James thought, was far more of an older brother than he was.

Al took a deep breath. "James, I think we already have messed this up."

It was no secret that the Potter brothers ribbed each other relentlessly, but James had always adored his annoying, definitely-a-Slytherin Albus. But, his failure thrown in his face, for the first time in his life James felt a pang of genuine dislike for his brother. He opened his mouth, preparing to yell, when Lily wailed again.

Instead James glanced up the path. The adults were out of view.

"Maybe we do need help — AUGGHHH!"

A creature was sitting on poor, sprawling Lily. It was smaller than Crookshanks, with black and white fur and a long, dark tail. Though it's face was soft, it opened its mouth to reveal pointed teeth.

It bit down into Lily's wrist and James screamed, pride thrown to the wind, wanting nothing more than his father to come put everything right. He felt his sister's pain as if it were his own, and jumped at the mammal, preparing to fling it into the trees, but then…

His sister wasn't crying. Her arm was clear of bitemarks, and in fact looked far cleaner than even Rose's. She blinked in shock, but before any of the children had time to speak, footsteps were pounding towards them.

Harry, Hermione, and Lady Westmann were beside them, sweating far harder and looking far more shocked than the children. James felt himself being pulled, and realized Harry and Hermione had swept all of them into a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, _Merlin!"_

James was shocked. His Aunt Hermione _never_ swore. But she continued, " _Merlin,_ we turned around and you weren't behind us, and then we heard that scream… Why didn't you call out when you fell behind?"

"I'm okay, Aunt Hermione!" Grinning broadly, Lily said, "I broke my arm but then a Magical Australian Cat-Badger saved us! Aunt Luna told me about them!"

James was bright red with anticipation, wondering if he was in trouble. But nobody seemed upset. Hermione looked far more frazzled than any of them.

And then suddenly he felt ridiculous. _Of course_ he should have just given his dad a shout. _Of course_ they weren't going to be kicked out of Australia!

Allira Westmann had been standing apart from the family, a slight smile on her face. Her regal pose had reminded James a little of his Aunt Minerva, but physically she looked completely different, with dark skin, black hair, a simple brown dress, and no shoes.

"A magical Tasmanian devil? Those are very rare. Maybe one wizard in a decade sees them."

At this, Lily beamed. "Yeah, Rose was making me a cast after Hugo and I were playing and then Al was going to get you and James was going to fight the Badger-Cat and then it bit me!"

Rose and Albus both looked ready to faint. Harry pulled James into another hug.

" _Dad!"_

"You're all such lovely children to take such good care of each other," Professor Westmann praised.

Not feeling like a lovely child, James murmured, "Thanks, ma'am."

"Very impressive." She pulled a small golden chain from her pocket. "Let's Portkey the rest of the way? My husband is fixing lunch."

The group nodded eagerly. Allira's eyes rested on James a moment longer. "Really, very impressive."

James stared at the ground.

"What's most impressive," she added, sounding something close to amused, "Is that the Australian devil only gives help to those who ask for it. Very wise of you, James."


End file.
